Barnsley Ladies bounce back from rare defeat

Supermarine found themselves on the receiving end of the backlash from Barnsley’s defeat at Novocastrians last week, the home team feeling they had a point to prove.

With a couple of enforced changes Barnsley set about their task right from the off, playing the ball along the line and stretching the Supermarine defence, who found it difficult to cope.

Barnsley’s first try came from Lauren McKenzie who touched down after eight minutes, but Alix Taylor’s conversion attempt was wide.

Supermarine tried to play down the middle but the Barnsley defence was too strong for them, and, turning the ball over, the home team found space out wide which allowed Leonora Salvucci to score their second try after 11 minutes. This time the conversion from Taylor was good.

Barnsley kept the pressure on the side from Wiltshire and hooker Georgia Staples made a powerful run through a gap for the third try, which was unconverted.

The fourth try came from full-back Katie England, who again found space down the wing to run through to score, but the subsequent conversion missed, leaving the home team leading by 22-0 at the break.

Three half-time changes did not diminish the intensity with which Barnsley were playing. In fact, Sarah Hill, who was one of the substitutes, made some extremely powerful runs through the middle and it took a number of Supermarine players to halt her progress.

Barnsley picked up the five-try bonus point when Claire Fisher scored, Taylor this time making the conversion.

Jess Sayles’ first try since December 2016 and a try and two more conversions from Taylor wrapped up a convincing win which keeps Barnsley in second place.

Their next match, on the 27th of this month, will certainly provide Barnsley with their biggest test – a visit to West Park Leeds, last season’s league winners, who are still undefeated this term.